Monday, March 6, 2017

Emerald City Comicon 2017: Part 1, The Supersonic Fly-By

(Image: The entrances to the Main Showroom)

Luck was with me this year as I was able to have two days off during the Emerald City Comicon (ECCC), and get a pass for the first day, Thursday, 2 March. The doors didn't open until 2 PM, so I had time to prepare and even take a power nap before driving up to the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC).

I should have skipped the nap.

Traffic wasn't bad, but my luck ran out when I tried to find a place to park. The WSCC's main garage was full, and so was the center's overflow lot--which I found out after driving around each of the levels--twice.

By the time I parked at the Washington Athletic Club, walked the two blocks to the WCCC and picked up my day pass at the Will Call Window, over an hour had gone by.

And the doors closed at 7 PM. (Note: This year, the ECCC expanded to four days, but for this first day, the con started four hours later than it normally does).

But I was hungry and needed something to eat. So rather than spend any additional time standing in a line at a concession stand, or restaurant; I delved into the rations I stowed in my backpack. While gnawing on a nutrition bar with the consistency of hardtack along with a few handfuls of trailmix, I skimmed through the program guide to figure out how I wanted to spend the 3.5 hours I had left.

Now I don't want to make this post sound like a rant about Seattle's traffic and parking problems, along with my poor time-management skills. (By the way, it took me over an hour--just to get out of the Seattle city limits when I left the convention).

I'm merely posting this prelude so you can understand my frame of mind during my "supersonic fly-by" of this year's ECCC.

I was frantic.

So I decided to merely conduct a walkabout/shopping expedition, wearing my "lazy man's" Punisher outfit and a Thousand-Yard Stare on my face.

I think I managed to sound coherent when I talked to the few artists and fellow attendees I met.

Anyway, I spent most of my time on the Main Showroom and Artist Alley, along with a quick walk-through of the gaming area.

Here's a few more scenery photos I managed to take:

(Image: Looking down at the Atrium from the Artist Alley level)

(Image: Inside the Main Showroom)

(Image: Another view of the Main Showroom)

(Image: Entering Artist Alley)

My next ECCC post will be about the artists I met and the items I bought.

Studio Spin-Offs

About the Director

I'm a retired USAF TACP (Tactical Air Control Party) member, now working for Washington State Emergency Management. In addition to being an Emergency Operations Specialist at my day/night/weekend job, I'm a Foreign Affairs Specialist, gamer and writer.
I maintain three blogs as an on-line platform. "Stern Rake Studio," my central site, explores a variety of topics on gaming, pop-culture and writing. "Station WTFO" is where I post comments and discussions on the national and international issues that concern us. Finally, "The Redshift Chronicles," is a spin-off of "Stern Rake Studio." This site focuses on sci-fi gaming and is home to my long-form webcomic "Breakout from Bongolaan."